COCA announces powerful community collaboration to kick off 30th anniversary season August 27 COCA (Center of Creative Arts) announces Outside In: Paint for Peace, an unprecedented collaborative community exhibition featuring a selection of the original murals painted on the boarded-up storefronts by amateur and professional artists in the days and weeks following the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Mo. The exhibition, opening August 27 at 10 a.m. at COCA, 524 Trinity Avenue, St.

The children's book, Painting for Peace in Ferguson, recently received three new recognitions. The International Literacy Association, selected Painting for Peace in Ferguson for its 2016 Teacher’s Choices Reading List, Missouri Center for the Book named it one of two runners-up to its inaugural Ardis L. Glenn prize as well as first place in Missouri Professional Communicators' children's books—nonfiction. Since 1989 the ILA's Teachers’ Choices project has “identified outstan

WOW! We have done a lot of digging and we have found more than 150 people who took part in the painting efforts in Ferguson and South Grand. See the names below. We need your help! We have done our best to compile names of artists to credit in the book. Please review this list and let us know who is missing, who doesn't belong or who may be misspelled. If you have been credited inaccurately or simply don't want your name shared, please email us at paintingforpeace.book@gmail.

BIG NEWS! Today, the book moves into production! We hope to have printed copies in hand and out for delivery in Feb. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to youth, arts & small business recovery in North St. Louis County. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek of Page 9! Watch for details to come on a big event in a few months that we want you all to be a part of, since this is your project too! -Carol #book #carolklein #carolswartoutklein #children #childrensbook #paintingforp

The children’s book, PAINTING FOR PEACE IN FERGUSON, written in verse by author Carol Swartout Klein tells the story of the community outpouring of hundreds of artists and volunteers who worked in Ferguson and along South Grand to transform boarded up windows into works of art with messages of hope, healing and unity. Published locally by Layla Dog Press, all proceeds after printing costs will benefit north county-area youth and art programs as well as the businesses and empl

Layla Dog Press and author Carol Swartout Klein are pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of a children’s book based on the Paint for Peace community effort in Ferguson and the South Grand neighborhood with an anticipated delivery date before year’s end. The book titled PAINTING FOR PEACE IN FERGUSON tells the story of the hundreds of artists and volunteers who worked to transform boarded up windows into works of art with messages of hope, healing, and unity. All pr